Cordless Goes "Pro"

NEW TECHNOLOGYCordless Goes "Pro" HUNTERSVILLE, NC (Oct. 2, 2006) - Introduced more than 20 years ago, cordless power tools were hailed as a revolutionary step in changing the way people work. But over time, these tools have made few inroads into the professional market.

The new IQ^V family of cordless tools.
(Photo: Ingersoll Rand)

Everyone agrees that, for the casual user, cordless tools make lives much easier. However, those who make their living with their tools - when time is money and downtime isn't - have resisted the cordless wave, citing lack of power, frequent battery replacements and an overall perception of poor durability as their main reasons to stick with their tried-and-true corded or air-powered tools.

Armed with those complaints, as well as requests from distributors for a brand that won't be found in the local hardware store, Ingersoll Rand Productivity Solutions (IR) set out to build the cordless tool that defies the critics and delivers the same power and durability as its pneumatic counterpart.

All the cordless tools incorporate a "twist-to-lock" battery connection that provides a secure link.
(Photo: Ingersoll Rand) At a press event in early October, IR introduced its IQV Series of cordless tools to the professional market. The series includes three impact tools (1/4-, 3/8- and 1/2-inch models) and two drill/drivers (19.2- and 14.4-volt models). Though the initial offering is small, any of the company's tools are a candidate for cordless, says Christian Corrigan, global marketing manager at IR.From track to shop In any shop environment, time is crucial. Reliability and durability become major factors in product selections - and there's no better test of those factors than in racing. IR partnered with Evernham Motorsports to provide the real-world testing of these tools and gain feedback from technicians.

"The less time spent working on maintenance, the more time spent working on making the cars go faster," says Ray Evernham. The driver-turned-crew chief-turned-race team owner opened his facility to the media to demonstrate the testing that the tools endured.

Evernham's pit crew for the Ingersoll Rand-sponsored NASCAR Busch car demonstrate the effectiveness of the new cordless tools.
(Photo: Ingersoll Rand)

Evernham is proud that his pit crews have won the last two of three annual pit crew championships, and one of the crews demonstrated practice techniques using both traditional pneumatic and the new cordless guns. One of the most startling contrasts was the reduction of noise: The cordless guns were almost silent when compared to the air-powered versions.

Though his teams haven't committed to switching to cordless, Evernham says that IR listened closely to their feedback throughout testing to make adjustments and improvements. IR acknowledged that one major initiative in this tool development was to ensure it delivers what the professional needs because downtime is critical to users - whether in the repair shop, on the factory floor or at the track.

What Does It Mean to You?Motor Age: How applicable are the new IQ^v cordless tools to the automotive industry - over the range from automotive repair shop, body shops and tire shops, where the demands and needs vary?Mike Walker, IR's business manager, Vehicle Channel: * Collision shops: "There's lots of application for IQv cordless tools. Standard 1/2-inch impact guns, 1/4-inch inch guns for tighter interior or under-hood applications, and the wide range of other tools provide for a good fit as well."* Service and repair shops: "Again, the 1/2- and 1/4-inch cordless impact tools fit."* Tire shops: "While not yet suitable for sustained, day-long use in a tires-only shop, the tools do provide a solution. When all bays are full, doing changes outside with a cordless tool provides a no-wait solution. When shop compressors are offline or down needing service, a cordless solution can maintain shop productivity. In addition for those tire shops with a mobile repair service, the cordless tools fit." Benefits IR partnered with two battery companies to offer customers a choice in value and technologies: nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and lithium-ion (LI). Both the batteries and chargers incorporate microprocessor technology that monitors battery voltage and chemistry and chooses the correct charge algorithm. In addition, the IQv chargers accommodate all of the line's voltages, from 7.2V to 19.2V, and chemistries, including NiCd and LI. "Technicians won't have to worry that they will have to buy a new charger and battery style," says IR Vehicle Channel's business manager, Mike Walker. Going forward, new cordless tools and improvements on current tools will all be able to use the common infrastructure. In addition, the chargers feature a "deep-cycle" function that restores the battery to an almost-new condition and calibrates the battery's electronics. This, says IR, can extend a NiCd's usable battery life up to five times.

But more importantly, says Walker, is that the tools' construction is designed to last in the shop environment. The casings and grip resist typical shop fluids, and the steel-reinforced component housings can withstand being dropped.

The new line launches Nov. 1, 2006. For more information, visit IR's Web site at www.irtools.com/cordless.